The Inquirer

Windows 10 growth remains slow as Windows 7 dominates

And it doesn't look like changing anytime soon

Windows 10 growth remains slow as Windows 7 dominates
Windows 10 growth remains slow as Windows 7 dominates
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WITH SO much more data to pick from since Netmarketshare relaunched, we've become a bit spoiled for choice in terms of what we report.

So we're looking at two aspects - the overall top five operating systems across all types of device, and the top 10 operating systems for desktops and laptops - which is now (we think) a lot more accurate as we can filter out games consoles and set-top boxes and the like.

So first then - the overall picture. Windows remains the world's most used operating system but at 39.49 (-3.28) it has dropped a chunk since last month. Android meanwhile has gained at 36.73 (+2.67). iOS gains almost a full percentage at 18.12 (+0.99) while macOS drops slightly at 4.02 (-0.36). Linux drops below one percent at 0.96 (-0.13).

Split those figures down into versions are Windows 7 sits at 19.22 (-1.65), Windows 10 sits at 14.69 (-0.77), Android 7.0 is at 11.35 (+1.75), Android 6.0 is at 9.62 (+0.07) and iOS 11.1 is at 6.26 (+0.58).

Moving on to the desktop figures (these are the numbers that we've been reporting for years) and it shows things are generally moving in the direction you would hope. Windows 7 stubbornly remains the world's biggest operating system at 43.08 (-0.04) with Windows 10 gaining almost a percentage point at 32.93 (+0.98). Windows 8.x sits at 6.9 (-0.27), while Windows XP is at 5.18 (-0.55).

macOS 10.12 and macOS 10.13 are in the process of swapping places with 3.53 (-0.34) and 2.65 (+0.47) respectively.

Linux drops slightly to 1.44 (-0.22), which is exactly the same share as Mac OS 10.11, also 1.44 (-0.07). Rounding off the top 10 is macOS 10.10 at 0.89 (-0.08).

So all in all a pretty stagnant picture. Mac users are continuing to upgrade, and Windows users are continuing to, well, not. In fact, the jump for Windows 10 is probably consistent with people who bought new computers in Black Friday sales and "natural wastage".

If there's been a rush to upgrade before the accessibility loophole closed at the end of the year, we've not seen it. But with Windows versions other than Windows 10 taking up 55.16 per cent of the market, compared with 32.93 for Windows 10 (a deficit of 22.23 per cent) there must be a lot of people at Microsoft HQ scratching heads and wondering what the heck they have to do to make them upgrade. µ

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